A Brief Election Overview

After all of the political advertising, editorial endorsements, precinct workers, telephoning, campaign mailers, yard signs and political debates the voters have voted and the November 2, 2010 election is over. Now the winners and losers have to figure out how to work together for the building of a better nation, state and city for the people they all claim to serve. It will not and never has been an easy thing to do after any election because of perceived power one garners with a victory regardless of how much cooperation they need from others.

In the nation, we now have the Republicans in control of the House but they will need the Senate, controlled by Democrats and the White House controlled by President Barack Obama, a Democrat. Yes, they need each other if we the people are going to receive any benefits from our tax dollars that we pay to keep us secure while we pursue life, liberty and happiness.

In the state we now have Democrats in the governor’s seat and in control of the assembly and senate. However we have a budget deficit that will require some creative and innovative ways to bring us sanity without destroying our way of life or putting a harder ship on the ones with no political voice. The poor and already underserved communities are already reeling from high unemployment, home foreclosures, inadequate public education opportunities, under funded health care services, over crowed prisons and a political system that gets bogged down in political wrangling that leaves the people at the bottom of the totem pole. They must find a way to work together on behalf of the 30 plus million people.

I was happy to see the voters of California down the legalization of marijuana known as Proposition 19. I think the argument they were selling the Black community was wrong. They said Blacks are being arrested at a much higher rate than Whites which is true but the reason for that is a more concentrated effort by law enforcement and the White community will not tolerate such actions. For one example, in the city of Riverside, the police chief was driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, was involved in an accident while driving, caught by the police, never written up, never taken to jail, did not have to pay for damages caused to public property and then allowed to retire with public dollars. We have to work on reducing this kind of unfair policing in Black and Hispanic communities regardless of marijuana, alcohol or minor traffic violations.

At the local level in the Inland Empire we see progress in many ways and setbacks in others however, the people have spoken. In Fontana for example the city has a new mayor that is African American, Acquanetta Warren. No one in their wildest dreams would have predicted that would have happened before other Inland Empire cities. They also elected Sophie Green to the Fontana School Board another first. Janice Rutherford will take her seat on the county Board of Supervisors and Duneen De Bruhl was elected to the school board in the high desert.

In San Bernardino where I was hoping that the voters would change the city charter to have three elected positions appointed was rejected by the voters by a two thirds margin. In other words, it was soundly defeated. The mayor and council will have to live with the elected legal counsel of Jim Penman until another election and find a way to work together for all citizens in the city. It will not be easy but not impossible after all he cannot vote and the people want a civil demeanor at and during city hall meetings. If they act civily toward each other then San Bernardino can move forward.

Now that the mid term election is over we must gear up for other local elections so get registered to vote.

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